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Football Canada gearing up for 2028 Summer Games, with inclusion of Flag Football

Port Hawkesbury, NS, Canada / 101.5 The Hawk
Evan Taylor
Oct 23, 2023 | 3:34 PM


Football Canada gearing up for 2028 Summer Games, with inclusion of Flag Football

Flag football is set to be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Photo: Football Canada.

Football Canada, is rejoicing at the decision reached by the International Olympic Committee to include  Flag football as  part of the official program for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.

Jim Mullin, who serves as the President of Football Canada and also holds the role of IFAF General Secretary, conveyed profound appreciation on behalf of the Canadian football community.

“Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the IOC, the LA28 committee, IFAF, and our partners at the NFL for opening doors to international success in gridiron sports,” remarked Mullin.

Mullin went on to share, “With this announcement regarding LA ’28, we anticipate a significant surge in interest and participation in various facets of gridiron football throughout Canada.”

This decision by the IOC comes after rigorous evaluations and recommendations from the IOC Executive Board, the IOC Olympic Program Commission, and the organizing committee for Los Angeles 2028. It marks the culmination of a comprehensive two-year assessment process.

This momentous development is the result of the visionary “Vision 28” partnership, a pioneering collaboration between IFAF and the NFL, aimed at putting flag football at the forefront of their shared sports development goals.

Mullin emphasized, “The inclusion of flag football in the Olympics is a game-changer for our sport, both domestically and worldwide. Across our nation, participants engage with our sport from a young age through flag football, creating a richer talent pool for both flag and tackle games.”

Flag football, known for its swift, non-contact style, as well as its inclusivity, is celebrated for being the most accessible variant of American football. It has been a driving force in boosting global participation in gridiron football, particularly among female athletes.

“The growth of flag football in Canada has allowed us to focus on gender equity and female participation. We are dedicated to establishing the necessary support structures to foster the growth of female coaching, officiating, and leadership for long-term sustainability and global success,” Mullin pointed out.

Flag football currently engages an estimated 20 million individuals in over 100 countries, with this number continuing to rise, mirroring the increasing international popularity of the NFL, which boasts a global fan base of 340 million enthusiasts.

In the forthcoming year, 65 national representative teams will compete in IFAF continental flag football competitions, building excitement towards the largest-ever IFAF World Flag Football Championships, scheduled to unfold in Lahti, Finland, in August 2024. This event promises to be a spectacular display of talent and sportsmanship on the world stage.

Football Canada Interim Director of Sport Joey Swarbrick says that with the IOC’s announcement Football Canada can now begin ramping up it’s flag programming so it can also be geared to produce high-performance athletes. “Flag for a long time has been about inclusivity, and introducing people to the game of football through a safer more easily accessible version of the game,” said Swarbrick.  “In recent years, we’ve seen more of a focus with high-end performance and now we will lean into that more,”.
Swarbrick says Football Canada is now at work on developing a high-performance runway, that will identify players, train them, and help facilitate their growth as Olympic athletes.